Rates.

The denominations could be used alone to prepay for the
following services:

Denomination

Prepaid letter up to 30 leagues

Payment on delivery up to 30 leagues

Prepaid letter over 30 leagues

Payment on delivery over 30 leagues

Newspaper

½ real

Under ½ ounce

1 to 15 ounces

1 real

½ ounce

Under ½ ounce

Under ½ ounce

2 reales

1 ounce

½ ounce

¾ ounce

Under ½ ounce

1 to 4 pounds

4 reales

2 ounces

1 ounce

¾ ounce

8 reales

2 ounces

One league = approx. 2.6 miles = approx. 4 kilometers. 30
leagues are therefore about 78 miles or 125 kilometers.

It was soon realized that the low rates that had been set were
insufficient to cover the costs of the mails. New rates were
introduced on December 20, 1856, after not even 5 months of stamp usage. The
rate change caused the ½ real to lose its significance for
prepaying letters, and the 1 real was replaced by the 2 reales as the most
commonly used stamp.

The new rates caused the stamps to be used alone as
follows:

Denomination

Up to 16 leagues

Over 16 leagues

½ real

1 real

Under ½ ounce

2 reales

½ ounce

Under ½ ounce

4 reales

1 ounce

¾ ounce

8 reales

2 ounces

1 ¾ ounces

The newspaper rate was set at ½ real per pound.
Prepayment became mandatory with the new rates.